


Good Goodbye

by WordsWhisperInTheDark



Series: The Archive [1]
Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Angst, Good Goodbye - ONE OK ROCK, I love them I swear, M/M, Some research was done??, Songfic, Written before I really watched figure skating, sorry???
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:01:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23400523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WordsWhisperInTheDark/pseuds/WordsWhisperInTheDark
Summary: When the Russian entered the rink, Yuuri Katsuki was not by his side.
Relationships: Katsuki Yuuri/Victor Nikiforov
Series: The Archive [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1683964
Comments: 4
Kudos: 27





	Good Goodbye

_**You're the light, I'm the shadow on the wall when you sleep…** _

_‘Yuuri.’_

_Warm chocolate eyes met icy teal ones. Their room was peaceful, the sun filtering through slated windows, and the soft babble of spring water could be heard in the distance._

_‘Viktor…what time is it?’ Yuuri asked, a yawn stifling his words._

_A soft smile played on Viktor’s lips, as he watched Yuuri’s dark lashes flutter over his brown orbs. His breathing was long and drawn-out; he was clearly not fully conscious yet._

_'Yuuri, we told your parents we would help out at the springs today.’ His voice was a mere whisper, careful not to jolt the Japanese skater awake._

_Yuuri groaned then_ , _and languidly draped his body over Viktor’s. ‘A few more minutes.’ Yuuri’s black hair tickled Viktor’s nose, as his head rested comfortably on Viktor’s chest._

_A chuckle rumbled through the Russian’s body. The decision was made. Peaceful breathing filled the room, two bodies gently rising and falling in unison. In that moment, in that tangle of limbs, Viktor felt that everything was perfect._

**_Everything that I need is right here with me._ **

~~~ 

**_Come to me_ **

_‘Viktor…’._

_A hollow thud. Blades flashing in the air. A bruise blooming like a dark rose._

**_All that I can say’s already said._ **

_‘Viktor…’_

_Complaints of aching joints. Cancelled practices. Ice left untouched by skates._

****

**_I come to you;_ **

_‘Viktor…’._

_Back on the ice just to fracture bone. A diagnosis is received. Blue eyes darken with concern._

**_There's one word that I can't forget._ **

‘Now on the ice: Viktor Nikiforov, skating to Good Goodbye by ONE OK ROCK.’ 

When the Russian entered the rink, Yuuri Katsuki was not by his side. 

~~~

_**Little time not a moment wasted with you.** _

_They were at a public skating session. Ever since Yuuri came second in the Grand Prix Final, Hasetsu’s ice skating business had flourished. Yuuko had opened an open-air ice skating rink a few months ago, and the rink was fuller than ever before. The pair of professional skaters could barely skate a metre apart, and the public skates weighed down their feet._

_Viktor didn't mind though._

_He could stay close to Yuuri and just quietly observe him. He could watch Yuuri’s cheeks blush as he bumped into other skaters; he’d go even redder when they’d ask for pictures or an autograph. He could take in that soft smile as Yuuri helped children get back on their feet. Yuuri was as quiet as he always was when he wasn't performing, but held himself with more confidence now. Viktor could see it in the way he weaved around the crowd. Even in such a confined space, Yuuri skated with the grace of Japan’s best male skater._

_‘Love and Life’. That's what came to mind when Viktor looked at Yuuri._

_His life had become vibrant once again on the night of the gala party, the night Viktor first met the shy skater. He had been conveying his gratitude for the congratulatory remarks from the other guests at the gala. They were all practised of course; it was just natural. Everyone had been chatting and smiling, except for one. That was when Viktor had first noticed Yuuri, keeping close to the walls, downing champagne glass after champagne glass. There had been many times that Viktor had attempted to grasp his attention, but the younger skater had been too occupied in washing away his worries with drink._

_After an hour of tepid celebrations, the room had been filled with the loud yells of one, very drunk, Yuuri Katsuki. He had really let himself go: cheeks flushed, shirt half undone, trousers discarded to some unknown corner of the room, and his tie wrapped around his head. Everyone had turned to stare of course, but it was Chris - of course it would be, who else? - who had first approached Yuuri and dragged him over to a conveniently present dancing pole. It had been absolutely ridiculous, the two dancing in complete, drunken harmony. That had definitely gotten the party started. The room had exploded with raucous laughter, accompanied by the background music of this hilarious ensemble of the most demure skater Viktor had ever seen keeping in time with the most lust-addled Swiss man._

_Then came the dance-off. Yuri would always say he was dragged onto that floor, but he had gotten himself into that dance-off all on his own, pride driving him to defeat his older, Japanese counterpart. It had definitely been fierce. Viktor had seen some moves that would have been questionable on the ice. Somehow, Viktor had gotten himself pulled into the fray, and suddenly he was being led by the Japanese Yuuri. He hadn’t had that much fun in such a long time. Viktor had allowed himself to follow the flow of the younger skater, and their bodies had danced completely in sync, as if they were supposed to dance together. It would take almost a year to look at all their photos but Viktor knew he had been truly happy. Yuuri had set off fireworks in his life that night, and Viktor was not going to forget it._

_His deeper feelings of love probably started with his feelings of irritation when he had watched the video of Yuuri’s perfect rendition of his ‘Stay Close to Me’ programme. Annoyed that Yuuri had not won anything yet, Viktor had decided then to take on Yuuri’s drunken proposal during the gala night, and become his coach. He had not expected the Yuuri he encountered on his first day in Hasetsu. Viktor could tell the confident man he saw that night was hidden away; Yuuri was sad, and perhaps a small bit lonely. It had been there in his eyes, and Viktor had not understood why Yuuri would not confide in him. They had had a great time together at the gala, it didn't make sense. Then it occurred to Viktor that those events were mere moments of drunken spontaneity. That revelation had urged the Russian on to reawaken that confidence in Yuuri._

_If he was being perfectly honest with himself, Viktor did not just give both Yuri’s programmes that opposed their nature just to challenge them. He wanted to see the sultry side of Yuuri again, and he had definitely delivered. It was for katsudon unfortunately, but Viktor had decided they'd work on Yuuri’s inspiration later. As the months raced by, Yuuri had improved in great leaps and bounds, and their bond had only grown stronger. Viktor had felt more alive than he had ever been, and by the time the Grand Prix Final came around, Viktor had felt that he was finally where he needed to be._

_Watching both Yuri’s beat his records had definitely been the proudest moment he had ever experienced in his life. The smile of complete joy on Yuuri’s face when he had told him he would return to competitive skating was the most gratifying thing Viktor had ever received. It had been more precious than any gold medal._

_‘Love and Life’. Looking at Yuuri now, he was definitely those two things._

_‘Uh… Viktor?’_

_The Russian snapped out of his reverie, just to maladroitly trip over his skates, landing neatly on top of Yuuri. He grinned at the deepening blush on Yuuri’s cheeks._

_‘Doesn't this remind you of something?’ Viktor teased._

_‘There were less people on the ice that time.’_

_The two burst into a fit of laughter over the memory, oblivious to the other guests of the ice rink around them._

_‘I wish we could be like this forever.’ Yuuri murmured, just enough for the man above him to hear._

_Viktor smiled. To him, forever was not long enough._

**_I realised, to stay, we had to break away…_ **

~~~ 

**_Goodbye_ **

_A hospital room. Yuuri could no longer skate, let alone stand. Brown eyes remained closed most days. Silver hair fell like a veil over glossy eyes; Viktor remained by the hospital bed as much as possible. The beep of machines was deafening._

**_Good goodbye_ **

_It was leukaemia, the doctors had said. A rare cancer that started in the bone marrow, producing abnormal cells incapable of fighting infection. They also inhibited the body’s ability to produce red blood cells and platelets, basically affecting the entire immune system. That was all just medical nonsense to Viktor. To him, this cancer was destroying his life._

**_Goodbye_ **

_They said it had affected the bone marrow in Yuuri’s legs first, taking away his ability to enchant others on the ice. Then he started to get sick easier, colds from visits to Russia left him bedridden for weeks. He could barely sit up, let alone stand. Eventually, they checked him into the hospital - permanently. Any hopes of returning to the ice rink were shattered._

**_Good goodbye_ **

_Yuuri's condition only got worse. Viktor could see the light in him fade away. He was getting weaker and weaker; there were days when Viktor couldn't even hear his voice. Yuuri was getting tired. After painful deliberation, the Katsuki family - Viktor included - opted for surgery for bone marrow transplant to be performed on Yuuri. Even in his weakened state, Yuuri’s will remained strong. He had grasped Viktor’s hand, rings on both men cool to the touch, before being taken away to the operation room._

_It would be a long time before he was seen again._

~~~ 

A lyrical interlude. It was almost over. He poured his heart out into this section. 

_Devastation at the hospital._

Multiple combination spins. 

_A quiet waterfall of tears as they stood in sombre black clothes._

A delayed single axle. 

_Skating competitions were put on hold. The figure skating community had been frozen with shock, skaters with stronger bonds overridden with grief._

Triple lutz, triple toe loop combination. 

_Night became the worst time of day. Makkachin’s warmth barely compensated for the chill of the side of the bed where he once lay. Viktor stayed awake most of the time, staring at the gold band on his finger through wet lashes. In the end, they never did get married. Yuuri had left too soon, leaving Viktor alone._

A final quadruple axel, and the spell was broken. 

~~~ 

_**Little time, not a moment wasted with you…** _

The sound of blades skimming the ice faded away. The music was replaced by the heavy breathing of the Russian skater. 

‘A beautiful performance by Nikiforov, choreographed by him in tribute to the late Yuuri Katsuki.’ 

There was no clapping. Only reverent silence as Viktor Nikiforov stood alone on the ice. The skate had ended with his hand outstretched to the sky, a gold band glittering in the lights on his finger. He did not look at the sidelines, where all the skaters stood in quiet solidarity. He did not look at Yuri’s face, eyes red-rimmed with tears. He did not look at Yuuri’s family, at their small smiles of gratitude and pride. He only looked upwards; the heavens. The home of the Japanese skater who revived his desire to skate, who opened his eyes to what he wanted; who made him strong. A tear fell from his face, freezing as it hit the ground. 

‘Goodbye Yuuri.’ 

**Author's Note:**

> (Completed April 2018)
> 
> Finally got an AO3 account and have decided to share the fics sitting in my Docs😅.
> 
> I did do some research on leukemia, but it wasn't exhaustive, so everything might not be completely accurate. Also, as you can tell from the skate composition, I did not start watching figure skating intensively at the time (Yuzu's working on making the quad axel a thing though^_^).
> 
> I can only write angst but I really do love them.


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